Are You Listening?

"Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise." Deut 6:6-7

I do a lot of reciting of both the law and the gospel. But, there are times when I just have to shake my head and wonder if anyone is listening? Do they not understand the there is only one true God and that God is almighty; all powerful; all loving; all merciful? It is not wise; it is not a good thing to worship other gods; to put anyone or anything before our Creator and Redeemer. I simply have a difficult time understanding how anyone would refuse to love and serve the only God who can save them from sin, death, and the power of the devil. How could anyone not love someone who was willing to die for them?

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart." Deut 6:4-6

May our Father in heaven, forgive us for not loving Him as we ought; for not loving Him even as He loves us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do Unto Others; Respect And Care For Them

Do Unto Others; Give Generously out of love for others
Zion Servant Event - making fleece blankets for LWR

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets." Matt 7:12

You have heard the saying: "what goes around, comes around." Others refer to it as karma. What really is happening is that when you treat others with disrespect they most likely will treat you in the same manner that you have treated them. It is human nature. People simply have a hard time showing respect for those who disrespect others. When people break the rules of society, there are usually consequences set in place by society as a whole. I dislike this word, karma, immensely. I think a better word for this might be justice.

"Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones." Psalm 37:27-28

Show respect for others and they might show respect to you. Love others and you will be loved. Do good to all people that it may be well with you and them; that we might all live in harmony and peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rest For The Weary

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Matt 11:28 NRSV

 

Jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold: that is the state of a lot of Americans. So many are weary of struggling to survive from day to day. We live in a country of some pretty big extremes. It amazes me when the political upper class speak like people earning $50,000 a year are poor. In 2012, the National Center for Law and Justice estimated that one out of sixteen people were living in deep poverty; that is they lived with income 50% below the poverty line. Imagine living like that! Those who live in deep poverty will never see this blog. They do not have access to computers or the internet. Just maybe our elected officials make so much money they have lost touch with the reality of what kind of struggles many Americans actually live with. $50,000. a year is not poor. One can feed and clothe and shelter their families on $50,000 a year.

 

Personally, I get weary of people who have I-Phones and I-Pods; have more bedrooms than children; and, take vacations two or three times a year complaining that they don't make fair wages or are broke. We need to remember that we are representatives of Christ. He calls us, even as he called Peter to feed his sheep.

 

May God help all of his representatives to feed his sheep; to help carry the burdens of others so that they might find rest. The followers and representatives of Jesus the Christ must step up and do this as it seems quite apparent that our elected representatives don't have much of a clue as how to do this.

Pr. J

Gift of Life

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." John 3:16 NRSV

It is difficult to comprehend a love as great as the love God has for the people of earth. Yet, it is there. His desire is not that anyone should die; but, that all should live. It is evidenced by the willingness of Jesus to die on the cross, carrying our sins in his body. It is evidenced by the sacrifice that our Lord, Jesus made for us. Paul wrote to the Romans (Rom 3:21-25) "But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,  since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith."

How great is the love of the one who was willing to die so that all who believe could live in God's presence for all eternity! Thanks be to God for this gift of life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Teach Children in the Way

"If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!" Matt 18:6-7 NRSV

Children have begun to return to school for another year of education. The reality is that schools are not the only places our children learn. They learn much in the home and much as they observe and interact with society around them.

What are we teaching them? I don't just mean the public school system. I mean each and every one of us. What are we teaching them in the community? Are we teaching them to follow in the footsteps of Jesus as loving neighbors and servants or are we teaching them that anything goes as long as it makes one happy?

When we teach that what is evil is good we are putting stumbling blocks between children and the promises of God. We lead them astray when we tell them that it doesn't matter if they obey the laws of God or the laws of the land, we send them all on a path of destruction and we become the stumbling block that will prevent them from seeking the Kingdom of God. They will be so busy trying to figure out how to get out of the mess that they created for themselves by following liars that they won't have time for peace; they won't have time to just sit and be still with God.

Could we at least agree to not teach the children (particularly other people's children) that it is not all right to disrespect those who have authority over them; that is the people who are raising and supporting them, their teachers, and, yes, law enforcement? It would really make life a whole lot easier for the children and for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Just because it feels good, doesn't mean it's good for you.

Streams of Water

FIRMLY PLANTED BY STREAMS OF WATER.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:2-3

At the least disruption to life there are those who cause so much drama one would think the world was ending. They are like grass blowing in the wind; mowed over at the landowners earliest convenience.

But, one who loves the Lord and considers the way He would have us go is like the tree that is firmly planted in soil beside streams of water. On the riverbanks on which I live, many of the trees have been blown about by the winds. They are old and have been bent down. But, they continue to grow with their roots connected deeply within the soil. The winds nor the waves have been able to take them down.

Such is the person who delights in the law of the Lord. They might bend from time to time. But, they will not break.

May you drink abundantly of the streams of living water provided by Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love: The Two Tables of the Law

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Luke 10:27 NIV)

Jesus taught that the law can be summed up with this one word: love. We all fall short of keeping the law. Sometimes, it seems that the harder we try to keep the law, the harder it is to come near the goal. Instead of focusing on what we have to do or what we cannot do, might I suggest that we focus on loving, even as God loves us.

For the past three days we have dealt with what we teach as the first table of the law; that is, to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, strength, and minds. For the young person who is attempting to learn and even memorize the ten commandments, it is helpful to understand that these three commandments come first because God always comes first.

When the love of God is first in our lives, the rest of the commandments, the second table of the law, which is the love of neighbor, follows naturally behind even as a caboose will follow the train. The caboose can go nowhere without the engine. It follows wherever the engine will take it. Follow in the footsteps of Jesus who loves us so much he was willing to die for us.

When we put God before ourselves; when we follow Him, even the second table of the law will more naturally fall into place. That is not because it is natural for us to love; but, because it is the nature of God to love and we are connected to Him. As He abides in us and we in Him, His love abides in us and through us reaching out to a world in need.

According to St. Paul: "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10)

If your aim is to live according to the law, focus not so much on the shall not's. Rather, keep your heart and mind focused on what you have been given permission to do. That is to love: love the Lord your God and your neighbor. Focus on living more fully in the love of God for it is through love that the law is fulfilled.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hebrews 7 - Redeemed by the High Priest

Hebrews 7 NIV 
Jesus is not just the King. He is thee High Priest. He has paid for our sins and through him we have been reconciled to God our Father. Do we get that? Do we understand the implications? We have been reconciled to God our Father. That is the goal of one who would follow Jesus. Being reconciled to God, our Father, through the sacrifice of the great High Priest, Jesus, by the awesome power of the Holy Spirit, is the goal. Is there anything more awesome than that?

It appears (from watching televangelism) that not everyone is aware of the goal nor of the gospel (good news of the Kingdom). There are many other goals. One of the most abhorrent goal is that of doing good works, supposedly godly works, so that one might become wealthy in this world. It is a counterfeit faith. It tells us that if we do this or that, God will bless us with riches, million dollar homes, expensive cars, airplanes, etc.. That is law; albeit counterfeit law. It is not the gospel. When did riches in this world become the first goal, the focus, of a Christian?

By his blood we are set free from bondage to the world. The pursuit of this world through the law over the kingdom throws us right back into bondage to things of this world. Any priest or pastor who teaches that Jesus came to make us rich in this world is not one we should be listening to.

Please, excuse my rampage this morning. I cannot count the times just in the past month I've encouraged people to be more discerning in what televangelists they're watching; even to just skip those channels altogether. And... then last night I found myself watching one. I did not sleep well because of the blasphemous things I heard.

I am not saying that it is a sin to be rich. There are many wealthy Christians. But, it is definitely wrong to promise that God will make someone rich if you send them your money. By doing that, the only one you're making rich in this world is the televangelist. The gifts of God cannot be bought.

Remember this, you were purchased with the precious blood of Jesus, not with silver or gold.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Galatians 5:1-12 Law or Grace?

Galatians 5:1-12 NIV
Abandon your life to the grace of God! There are so many laws and traditions, I find it virtually impossible to keep to the traditions and letters of the law that are set forth by humankind. Can anyone know them all? Can anyone abide by them all? We have barely entered the season of Lent (it is the day after Ash Wednesday) and I find myself unable to sleep at 3 a.m. begging God for His mercy and grace; for without Him I would surely be lost.

The church on earth, in Paul's time, spent a lot of time worrying about the law of circumcision; whether gentiles should be circumcised or not. Paul said no. Others said yes. Paul insisted that keeping this law would not justify one person. His claim was that if we are trying to be justified by the law then we are alienating ourselves from Christ. The only justification that we have is Jesus the Christ. He died on that cross so that we might be justified in our Father's eyes. The law had to be satisfied. He satisfied it for us.

Mistakes will be made; sins will be compounded, laws will be broken. Much time will be spent worrying about it and trying to justify our own actions. If we continue to attempt to be justified by our own good works in keeping the law (which none of us ever have) we have fallen away from grace. We must abandon our lives to God's mercy and grace! We must trust Him! Our help is found only in Him. Give thanks and praise that your sins are forgiven for "the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;  we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets." Dan 9:9-10

God's Peace - Pr. J

Galatians 2 Christ Lives In Me

Galatians 2 NIV
Remembering the poor is a good thing. But, sometimes we can get so wrapped up in doing good, those things that our traditions dictate, that we forget that we are not justified by our good works and go about acting like they amount to something that could be credited to us. Paul had to confront Peter about this. Although Peter accepted and even approved Paul's ministry to the gentiles, Peter kept himself  apart from the gentiles. He was saying grace... but, living by the laws of the his tradition.

Paul reminds us that righteousness cannot be gained through the law. It is by the grace of God that we are found righteous. It is by the grace of God that we are saved. We earn none of it. We deserve none of it. And.. if good works are done through us let us remember these words of Paul. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

So when we start thinking that we are accomplishing much, let us remember that it is not we who accomplish these things. Thanks be to God for the abiding presence of Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 13:1-7 Do Not Resist Arrest

Romans 13:1-7 NIV
Ok.. I've been waiting for this lesson.

Message for the day: If you are asked by an officer of the law to stop; STOP. Do not attempt to flee. Do not resist arrest. Do not assault the officer in any manner; physically or verbally. Just, don't do it. It's not the way to go. It will not turn out well for you or anyone else.

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience." (vs 1-5)

There are ways to peacefully protest. Harming or attempting to harm police officers or civilians who might get in the way is definitely not the way to go. Looting or damaging the property others have worked hard to obtain or maintain is definitely not the way in which a Christian would go.

May God grant us peaceful resolutions and reconciliation. May He help us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Remember that Jesus did not raise a hand to defend himself nor would he allow his disciples to fight when he was arrested.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 7 I Do Not Do What I Desire

Baptized into the Body of Christ
Huron River, MI

Romans 7 NIV
Saints, yet sinners; justified by the blood of Christ, daily we continue to struggle with sin. You and I are not alone in this. Even Paul, who was marvelously converted when he met the ascended Jesus on his way to persecute more Christians, continued to struggle with his sinful self. He wrote:

     "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
     So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (vs 15-25)

The fight with sin is an ongoing battle within us. We confess and ask forgiveness for those things that we have done as well as for those things that we have left undone. We confess and ask forgiveness daily even as we remember our baptisms into the Body of Christ; giving thanks to God who has delivered us from even ourselves.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 3 Faith Alone

Romans 3
It is difficult to break these beginning chapters of Romans down into bite-sized portions. They must be read in context. The jist of chapter 3 is this: Jews and Gentiles, all people, are found righteous in the eyes of God by one thing; that is by faith alone.

We all fall short. We are all sinners; yet, by faith we are justified by God's grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. We are declared righteous through faith in the righteous one who willingly shed his blood for us. All the good works in the world will not make us righteous. Faith alone does this.

Yet, because we are saved through faith, that law is not nullified. We don't do whatever it is that we want; whenever we want. Rather our faith, empowered by the Spirit of Christ, inspires us to uphold the law.

God, grant us all this gift of faith!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 21:17-36 Saved By Grace Through Faith

Acts 21:17-36 NIV
They all claim to serve the same God, the one true God. Yet, there is an uprising against Paul in the city. The Jews are pretty excited about what Paul has been doing among the gentiles. The words that come through him have turned the gentiles to the worship of God. Yet, the Jews are zealous for the law. They are so zealous that they are not at all happy in their perception that Paul undermines the law.

Christians, beware that you do not follow in the footsteps of those Jews who persecuted Paul. The law does not save. It is only by God's grace through faith that we are saved. Be careful not to become a stumbling block to others by insisting that they do or don't follow certain rituals or traditions attributed to the law. There is only one God. May God open our eyes and hearts to His great love for us so that we might in unity love and serve Him as well as all of His children.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Acts 20:7-12 Preaching Till Midnight

Acts 20:7-12 NIV
When my sons were young teens, they would attend the Lutheran Church that we belonged to on Sunday mornings with me. In the evening the oldest son and sometimes the younger would attend Worship at a Non-denominational Church where some of their friends attended. I think they preferred the music and the fact you didn't have to try to follow a bulletin or any order of Worship. They weren't old enough to drive so I would drop them off and pick them up. (Yes, I did attend with them on a couple of occasions.) The problem was that one could never tell how long the services would last or when to pick them up. More than once, I found myself waiting in the parking lot until close to midnight. They did not have stained glass windows so I could see inside the church through the clear panes. The front pews on those late nights usually had children sleeping on them. On one occasion, at least, the children resting in the pews were my sons.

Many Lutherans have a pretty low tolerance for a service that last longer than hour. I have found that my own tolerance for sitting in the pew for long periods is directly related to how well the preacher can proclaim the Gospel. Does he/she actually know the Law and Gospel? Does he/she actually believe it?

Paul could be a little long-winded. In fact, I am amazed at how long-winded even some of his letters were in light of the fact that there were no typewriters or computers. On one particular Sunday, Paul was preaching in an upper room where a young man was apparently sitting on the third-story window ledge. About midnight, this young man fell asleep and fell out of the window. Don't worry. He lived. They went back upstairs; broke bread and Paul continued to preach until daylight.

Seem a little extreme? When one is hungry for the Word and another is eager to share it so as to make disciples nothing is too extreme. Go and make disciples...

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 16:1-5 All Things For The Sake Of The Gospel

Acts 16:1-5 NIV
Paul has just convinced the other disciples that it is not necessary for believers to be circumcised; yet, here he is have Timothy circumcised in order that Timothy might accompany him on a mission trip. The reasoning? They are going to be reaching out to a community with a Jewish population. He feels it necessary in order for the people to hear. He sets aside freedom from the law for the sake of the gospel. In his first letter to the Corinthians (9:19-23), Paul wrote: "For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings."

In order for others to be open to hear the word, there may be times when we, too, may need to set aside our own traditions and live according to the traditions of others. That is not to say that we should sin in order to be like others. Paul considered that circumcision was not necessary. It should not be required nor was it against the law to be circumcised. In this case it would be helpful for Timothy, whose mother was a Jew, to be circumcised in order for him be accepted in this community; in order for the people to be willing to listen to the message of Jesus that he carried. For the sake of the gospel when we enter the mission field, we do not impose our own traditions on those we are ministering to. It is most helpful to be, as Paul was, "all things to all people."

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 20:11-18 Jesus Speaks To You

John 20:11-18 NIV
I ran into one of our local law enforcement officials the other day. I have known him for about 16 years. For some reason, I thought he was someone else I have known, just as long, in the law enforcement community. That same day, I received a call from a family member who I haven't heard from in awhile. At first, I thought she was one of my parishioners with a similar name. It took a few seconds to figure out who she really was.

It has been a very busy wseek. No, it has been a very busy and hectic summer. I was tired and had my mind other things; things that I was actually suppose to be doing at the time. When this happens, I sometimes forget names of people and I am just a bit slower in "connecting all the dots." It doesn't mean I can't connect them; just that I am a bit slower at times. Times of grief; whether it is my grief or someone else' grief can be particularly strong impetus toward my having a poor memory.

Mary was grieving when she met Jesus in the garden. She did not know what had happened to her beloved Jesus. His body was not in the tomb. Where could he be? Who could have taken his body? She was grieving and anxious when she turned and talked to the man in the garden. She did not recognize her beloved Jesus. She did not know him until he spoke to her, calling her by name.

Sometimes, grief or anxiety will cause us all kinds of problems with daily living. We may be so focused on what we are going through; we fail to realize the reality of what others are going through. We may fail to see Jesus living in and through others. We may fail to see the hand of God using our grief and/or anxiety for the good of us or others. Be assured that God can and will use all things for the good of all people. According to Paul's letter to the Romans:8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Jesus call you. He calls you by name. Answer him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 18:19-24 Speaking the Truth

John 18:19-24 NIV
Every now and then when I question my grandchildren (as well as other children in the community) as to what has been going on, I get the run-around. They won't answer me directly. They will say things like "I don't know. Ask so and so. They should know." Or they will say something like: "You already know, anyway." Honestly, it makes me want to slap them. I don't and haven't. But, there are definitely times that I consider it, as these kinds of responses just make me think all the more that they've been up to something they ought not have been doing and then I have to take the time to go and find witnesses or corroborating evidence to be able to confront them more directly and to the point. It's really a lot of work when telling the truth would have worked a lot faster and easier.

Jesus was slapped by one of the officials for talking to the high priest like my grandchildren talk to me when they are trying to hide something. But, Jesus' purpose was not an attempt to hide anything. Since, he is on trial for breaking the religious laws of the day (mainly his claim to be the Son of God); he calls upon the high priest to follow the law and get witness testimony as the law requires.

Jesus reminded them that he had spoken and taught openly. He testified that he had not been doing anything in secret. If his life was on trial then witnesses were required.

My grandchildren are not on trial for their lives. As of yet, they are still in the living stage; that stage where Jesus spoke the truth openly and not in secret. It would be well for all of us if we said or did nothing that has to be hid so that witnesses don't have to be found.

Have a blessed day and may God help us all to speak the truth.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 15:9-17 Love Each Other

John 15:9-17 NIV
"Love each other." It is as simple as that. Love fulfills the law. If we have love; then we will do all that we can not to do anything to hurt the people around us. If we have love; we don't need to know and memorize every minute detail of every law; because the law is written upon our hearts. (Psalm 37:31, Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10, Heb 10:15)

In giving his life for us, Jesus showed us how much he truly loves each of us. If we remain in his love we will love even as he loves. Love isn't going to worry about who is going to make it in first at anything. Love tells us it is not only good to be the last in line; the last to receive; sometimes, it is way more preferable for all of our sakes.

Be a friend. Be a good neighbor. Do nothing that might cause any harm or danger to come to others. Do all things for their good that God might be glorified. Love each other. This is the command of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Today is the first day of the school year; may God help our children to love one another and to leave the bullying behind them.

Luke 22:1-6 Too Many Witnesses

Luke 22:1-6 NIV
Yep, the less witnesses the better if you're planning on doing something that Satan is encouraging you to do. That would be the way to go. The chief priests, the teachers of the law, even Judas did not want too many witnesses for about what they were about to do to Jesus. They wanted to get rid of Jesus, but the people loved him. They didn't want the people turning against them, So, they needed a plan on how to get rid of him without anyone figuring out that they were setting him up.

The moral of the story: Beware of joining any group that thinks the way to do things is to get rid of their enemies when there are no witnesses.

God's Peace - Pr. J